My Papa, My Mama
by KayBeth13
Summary: She has her papa back, but what about her mama? An alternative version of Grace and Jefferson's story, introducing a new character to Storybrooke.
1. The Birth of New Life

_I'm back with another new story! This one has been festering for over a year now and I finally sat down a few days ago to write it. 14,000 words and three days later, it is finished! I didn't want to upload it until it was finished, so here I am! This is pretty short, but after the chapters will get longer. I will upload every few days, just so I can make some edits for the next chapter._

 _I hope you enjoy and I encourage any feedback!_

 _..._

Agonising pain tore through her and sweat dropped down her face. It eased for only a moment before a new wave hit, this time even stronger. She let out a soft cry of pain, tears rolling down her face as the nurse in front of her rubbed her hand.

"I can't do this!" she sobbed, choking the words out through the pain.

"Yes you can Rosie. You're doing so, so well."

"I'm only fifteen, I shouldn't be here!"

Deep green eyes met her own and she fought her tears once more as a hand reached up to stroke her cheek.

"I know, but you are here. It's not your fault and I am here for you until you tell me to go."

Another sob, her throat on fire as she choked down the scream trying to erupt from her as the next wave hit. This time it was longer and with it, she realised she was wanting to push down.

"I need to push!" she managed to say as the pain once more subsided.

"Okay sweetheart, if that's what your body is telling you, then that's what you're going to do."

Three hours and a lot more screaming later, the room was filled with a new set of cries, coming from the squirming bundle in doctor Whale's arms.

"Well done." The nurse said, smiling warmly at her.

She didn't take her eyes away, ignoring the pain of the afterbirth. When doctor Whale came back to her and handed her the bundle in the pink blanket, new tears came to her eyes, but this time, they were tears of happiness.

"She's so beautiful. Congratulations."

Rose Brown neither knew nor cared which of the medical staff said it, too transfixed with the life she held in her arms. She leaned down to kiss the soft skin, a single tear sliding down her nose as a pair of the biggest, brownest eyes stared up at her. it didn't matter that she had no parents, it didn't matter that she was living with a foster family and it didn't matter that she was barely fifteen. All that mattered was the little girl in her embrace, the little girl who she was going to be a mother to and who she was going to provide the best life she could. Doctor Whale came back over with a warm smile and she returned it with one of her own.

"So, what are we to call the little princess? We can't just call her baby brown, can we?"

Rose continued peering into her daughter's eyes, all the names she'd previously decided on going flying out the window. An entirely new name came to her mind, one she'd never even thought about before, but all at once, she knew it was the right choice to make.

"Paige. Her name is Paige."


	2. 28 Years Later

_Hey everyone, hope you liked the last chapter and enjoy this one!_

Rose couldn't believe how fast Paige had grown. It felt like one minute, she was a squirming bundle wrapped up in a blanket, the next she was a ten-year-old little girl with the most adorable face she'd ever seen. Of course, being her mama, she was completely biased, but she didn't care. Paige had turned into a beautiful girl both inside and out. She could make anybody smile just by looking at them and she was always the most well-mannered and loveable child in her class. Nobody ever had a bad thing to say about her and Rose couldn't even begin to put into words how proud she was of her little girl.

Right now, Paige was at school and Rose was making her way to work. She checked her watch for the umpteenth time to ensure she was still on time and gave a small cheer to see that just for once, she would make it in with a minute to spare. Until she rounded the last corner and crashed into somebody. She let out a yelp, her portable coffee cup exploding, sending the hot liquid down her shirt and she would have fallen to the ground if a firm hand didn't clasp her wrist, pulling her against an equally firm chest.

"Are you okay? I am so sorry miss, I didn't see you there!"

Rose looked up to see a pair of impossibly blue eyes peering down at her worriedly.

"It's okay, really. I'm fine." She reassured.

She gently pushed away from the man and looked down to see her shirt was a goner. Biting back a groan, she wiped at the material, but knew there was no use and she would have to head home to change.

"Really, I feel so bad. Is there anything I can do? anything at all?"

Rose looked up at the man, wanting to tell him to go away, but the genuine concern in his gaze had her smiling instead.

"You could walk me home if you like?" she said.

She'd already decided she was calling in sick for the day. It was better than turning up an hour late and having to explain to her nightmare boss the reason why. The man smiled broadly at her and he couldn't help but notice how his whole face lit up. Tiny butterflies began fluttering in her stomach but she stubbornly pushed them down, forcing herself to think about her daughter and how she had to focus on her, not her own lack of love life.

"great! Maybe I could buy you a coffee to replace the one you're wearing?" he asked her.

Knowing she was already facing discipline for skipping work, Rose decided to hell with it and accepted his offer. He vanished into granny's almost before she'd finished speaking and returned a moment later with two cups in his hand. Rose's eyebrow raised as he neared.

"Is the second one in case you spill that one on me too?" she asked good humouredly, pointing to the cup.

He grinned as he handed her one of the steaming cups.

"Not at all. This one is mine."

She smiled warmly back at him and they fell into an easy conversation as they walked back to the house she'd worked so hard for. As they approached the steps, she took a deep breath and decided to do something she'd never done before.

"Would you like to come in for a while?" she asked.

"Are you sure your other half won't mind?" he replied.

She almost sniggered at how not-so-subtle the question was.

"No, because I don't have one. Its just me and my daughter."

He nodded in understanding before giving an enthusiastic smile.

"Well, in that case, I would very much be honoured to come in for a while."

Rose showed him in, offering to take his hat and coat. He handed them over and without thinking, also removed his scarf, revealing a thin scar round his neck. Rose saw it and gasped.

"That looks like it hurt!"

The look on his face reminded her of a deer caught in headlights. She opened her mouth to apologise, but he beat her to it.

"It did but it was a long time ago. Crazy ex."

She gave an understanding nod and led him into a cosy living room, filled with homely accessories and soft blankets. She excused herself to change and call work, coming back a few moments later to see him standing by the fireplace, looking at one of the pictures of Paige with a longing in his eyes that had her hovering over the phone until he spoke.

"Is that your daughter?"

Hearing the sadness in his voice, she relaxed and moved closer to him to smile lovingly at the picture.

"It certainly is. My sweet little Paige."

"How old is she?" he asked, his tone wavering.

"She's recently turned ten. I had her very young, but she is my universe. I can't imagine my life without her"

"She's beautiful" he replied after a long moment, his voice beginning to crack

Rose gave him a concerned look and reached out to touch his arm. He flinched, but allowed the contact.

"Are you okay?" she asked him gently.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. I had a daughter once who would be the same age as your Paige. I lost her."

Rose's expression immediately turned to one of sympathy and the hand on his arm tightened.

"I'm so sorry. What was her name?"

"Grace."

Rose wasn't sure what to say to that, so moved into the kitchen, returning a few moments later with a tray of coffee. She placed it on the table, slapping her head when she realised she'd forgotten something.

"I always forget the sugar!"

She raced back to the kitchen, oblivious to the dark look that crossed his face. Swiftly, he poured a tiny sachet of powder into her drink and when she came back, he smiled.

"Thank you for this, though I feel it should be me doing this for you as I was the one that walked in to you."

She chuckled and sipped at her coffee, sighing as the flavour washed over her tongue.

"It's okay, really. Oh, I realised, I haven't even asked your name yet!"

He leaned closer to her, a warm smile on his face that didn't quite meet his eyes. Seeing it, she backed away slightly, only to find her body felt heavier than usual. Quickly, her arms turned to lead and she dropped the mug she was holding.

"What…" she slurred.

"It's okay, you're just going to sleep for a while and when you wake, this will all be a dream."

She tried to reply, but darkness took over and she slumped, unconsciousness taking her to sleep.

"There you go" he muttered.

Jefferson watched her with a cool gaze and once sure she was asleep, lifted her into his arms and carried her upstairs. One of the doors was open and judging by the coffee stained shirt on the floor, he assumed it was her room. He entered and placed her on top of the covers, shutting the door behind him as he left. Knowing he had about an hour before she woke, he moved across the hall to the other room and almost keeled over when he opened the door and Grace's scent washed over him.

"Grace." He whispered, his voice trembling with emotion.

Tokens of their past life surrounded him, from the little tea set in the corner of the room to the stuffed rabbit he'd painstakingly sown for her. with trembling hands, he reached out for the rabbit and gathered it in his arms, burying his face in the soft fur to inhale the scent that was as familiar as his own, unchanged by the curse. If he closed his eyes, he could just imagine he was back home with his little girl, but he knew that right now, that was just a fantasy. He closed his eyes to hold back the tears threatening to fall, but his breath remained shaky for a few long moments. Twenty-eight years. Twenty-eight long, painful years he'd managed to stay away, stealing fleeting seconds with his daughter, knowing that the next day she'd go back to not knowing who he was. Just as tomorrow, Rose would have no recollection of what had happened today. He didn't know what had caused his resolve to snap, he just saw them go through their usual routine and had to do something.

A groan from down the hall told him his time was up, and he forced himself to put the bunny back on the bed. He left the house just in time as Rose slid out of bed, clasping her pounding head.

"I really must have been ill." She murmured as she stumbled to the bathroom.

Jefferson made it home in record time, moving straight to the telescope facing Grace's house. He was relieved to see that though groggy, Rose was moving around and was no worse for wear. He may have despised the fact he wasn't in Grace's life anymore, but he couldn't say that Rose wasn't a fantastic mother.

"My PA calls in sick for the first time in twenty-eight years. Now how did I know you had something to do with it?"

Jefferson turned slowly to face his 'visitor', a glower on his face.

"Regina."

"Madam Mayor to you." She replied, her face pulled back in her usual sneer.

"Regina." He repeated.

A twitch of her eye was the only indication she was annoyed, but the slight movement gave him a deep sense of satisfaction.

"You know, you're never going to have her back again, so why bother?"

It was Jefferson's turn to sneer.

"Because. One day, your curse will be broken. And when it does, I want my daughter to know I spent every single day loving her. And, when that day comes, and we all go home, I can't wait to see your face."

Regina left without another word, and as the door slammed shut, Jefferson returned to his telescope.

He just hoped that when the day did indeed come, he'd have a shred of sanity left.


	3. Broken Curse

_Hey again, I'm not sure if people are actually enjoying the story or not as I've not yet had any reviews, but I'm very pleased with it, so I am going to keep uploading it anyway! Thank you if you've followed or favourited the story, it gives me some hope!_

 _..._

It was the usual routine on a normal day. Paige was home from school, sat at the table with her homework while Rose stood in the kitchen preparing dinner and Jefferson watched from his house, gaze set on the young girl as she frowned at the paper in front of her.

Then, with a magical gust of wind, it all changed.

The knife in Rose's hand fell to the floor with a loud clatter. She gasped as if the breath had been knocked out of her as memories came flooding in to her mind. In the dining room, Paige dropped her pen and grasped her head, tears springing to her eyes as she remembered her papa. She let out a loud cry of hurt and Rose rushed into the room to scoop the trembling child into her arms as she began to sob.

"Papa." She whimpered continuously as Rose rocked her.

Jefferson could only watch helplessly as his daughter was comforted by Rose, overwhelming guilt and fear freezing him to the spot. He wanted to run over and reveal himself, but the shame of leaving her held him in place. He was her papa, yet he was too afraid that she would hate him despite the fact he could see her lips forming his name. He didn't deserve her, and he knew that. 28 years he'd prayed for this moment, screamed for it until his voice was hoarse and his tear ducts dried up, yet now it was here, he couldn't bring himself to go to his daughter. He turned away from the telescope, leaving the house to get as far away as he could.

Rose held her daughter until she finally stilled, but didn't want to let her go, afraid she would run to find her father the moment she did. Now she had her memories, she knew exactly who 'papa' was and exactly who the girl she held was, but she couldn't let herself accept it, couldn't face losing the only family she had left.

"Are you okay sweetie?" she asked gently.

A tiny nod before Rose was forced to let her go. Those doe eyes she loved so much looked up at her, conflicting emotions shining in them. For a moment, they simply stared at each other as if they were strangers. Just as Rose's heart was about to break, a small pair of arm wrapped round her neck.

"Please don't leave me mama."

The simple request threatened to shatter her and she once more engulfed her daughter in an embrace. Her own tears finally began to fall as she hugged the slender trembling body. Eventually, she pulled away and brushed away the tears on the child's face, but she wouldn't look at her. Rose softly took her chin.

"Grace, look at me."

Grace looked up at her with surprise etched on her features.

"You know who I am?" she asked.

Rose smiled gently and nodded.

"I do. I lived in the same part of the forest as you and your papa. I know that he is Jefferson, and you are Grace."

Grace could see the sadness in Rose's eyes and reached up to touch a hand against her cheek.

"And you're my mama." She said with sincerity.

Rose kissed Grace's head and stroked her hair.

"And you, my sweet, darling girl, will always be my daughter. Whether you're Paige or Grace, you're mine."

…..

Later that evening, after Rose had been to speak with some of the other residents and Grace had looked briefly for her papa, the pair were curled up on one of their sofas. A warm blanket was draped over them and Grace had settled herself in Rose's lap. Her head rested on Roses' shoulder as Rose played with her soft hair. Truth be told, Rose was exhausted and could tell Grace was in the same condition.

"Mama?" Grace said, breaking Rose's thoughts.

"What is it sweetheart?" Rose asked.

"Who are you? I mean, back in the Enchanted Forest?"

Rose took a deep breath and held her daughter tighter. Her tale was not a pleasant one and she knew it would make Grace sad, but she also knew the soft hearted ten year-old needed to know, to understand just why she couldn't bare to lose her.

"I have to warn you, it's not a happy story. If it gets too sad, you have to tell me to stop."

Grace looked up at her mother with a warm smile and reached down to take her hand.

"It's okay mama. It doesn't matter how bad it was because you have me now."

Blinking back tears, Rose kissed her head and rested her cheek against the silky strands of hair.

"That I do sweetheart. Now, it all started before I was born…"

 _ **The Enchanted Forest, 25 years before the curse.**_

" _You stupid woman! How many times did I tell you I did NOT want children!? I can barely afford to feed us, let alone a child!"_

" _I'm so sorry Dorian! I don't know how it was possible, I was so careful!"_

 _Dorian sneered at his wife, loathing in his gaze._

" _Is it even mine?" he asked, voice laced with venom._

 _She turned a betrayed gaze to him, horrified he could even ask her such a question._

" _Dorian, you are my husband, the only man I have ever been with! I would never do such a thing!"_

 _He growled, pushing her to one side as he reached for his cloak._

" _I'm going to the town. Don't wait up for me."_

 _Eliza did wait for him, but he didn't return that night, or the night after. Concerned, she walked to the neighbour's house to see if they had seen him. Clarisse would know. Her best friend knew everything and if she didn't, her ten-year-old son Jefferson would. The boy was a sharp as a knife, and Eliza knew it was likely to get him into trouble if he didn't learn to apply his mind properly._

" _I'm so sorry Eliza, I haven't heard a thing about him. Have you spoken to the guards?"_

 _Eliza shook her head no. quite honestly, she was too afraid of them to ask. However, by the end of the fifth night, she had no choice and walked to the guardhouse. From the expression on his face, she knew the news was bad and could only sink to the floor as they calmly informed her she no longer had a husband; he'd thrown himself from the bridge out of town in a drunken stupor._

 _It took almost a year, but eventually, they came for her and threw her out of her home because she couldn't afford to live there. She tried to beg and plead, stating that her five-month old daughter needed a home, but the guards had no time or patience for her. For a while, Clarisse and her husband Roland allowed her to stay with them, but Eliza knew it was only a short-term solution. Eliza found a job as a tavern wench, and quickly fell into a downward spiral that had her staying out all night with strange men, too exhausted in the day to take care of her daughter. Eventually, she was able to scrape enough money together to purchase a new house, but it meant moving into the forest and away from their friends. With only a few belongings, she said goodbye to her best friend, wished Jefferson all the best and left with her daughter in tow._

 _..._

 _She grew up in a hovel, constantly beaten and abused by her mother and her nightly visitors. By the time she was thirteen, they'd turned their attention to her and though she avoided it for a year, she was eventually pinned down and used like her mother, who_ _died two years later of a disease bought on from her life as a lady of the night. Afraid when the guards arrived to evict her as they had done her mother all those years ago, the fifteen year old ran deeper into the forest for shelter, stopping inside a cave deep within the darkness of the trees. Tired, scared and freezing, she huddled in the corner and fell into an uneasy sleep. She woke the next morning, the sunlight streaming into the entrance and a warm air blowing on her face. Her eyes opened and she bit back a scream as the bear standing over her peered down at her. She wanted to run, but knew it would catch her long before she could reach safety. She wasn't sure how long she lay there, but suddenly the creature looked behind itself and grunted. Her eyes strayed over to see another bear entering , a fish in its mouth. The fish was dropped at her feet and nudged towards her. It was then she realised there was a warmth pressed against her side. She glanced over, seeing a small cub curled up against her. It was then she realised the small family was trying to help her._

 _A month passed when she started feeling sick. All day, every day it was the same and she was horror stricken when she realised exactly what it was causing the sudden illness. She'd never been so scared in her life and that night, she curled up against her family's side and cried herself to sleep. it was a blessing when she woke with severe pains a week later, the blood staining her dress confirming her hope. She was still heartbroken at the life she'd lost, but she knew there was no way she could have provided for the child. For a week, she mourned and every night, the smallest bear she simply called Cub, would curl up with her and lick at her tears as mama and papa bear gave each other worried glances._

 _Ten years passed with her bear family and she stayed with them as they moved from cave to cave, protecting them from hunters. She grew into a strong, beautiful woman with golden curls cascading down her back. She knew she was feisty and as the hunters found out, she had a mean temper to go with it. The last man unfortunate enough to attack Cub had found himself missing an ear and bleeding from a hole in his head by the time she was finished with him. She didn't miss civilian life all that much, even if there were times she missed conversations with other people._

 _They moved to a new part of the forest, close to the house she shared with her mother when she began seeing him. Vaguely, she recognised his deep blue eyes, but the memory was so fuzzy, she knew she must have been very young when she knew him. At first, he was with another woman, then for a while he was alone, until suddenly, a small child began walking with him, helping him pick mushrooms she had no doubt were sold at the market. She wanted to talk to them, but fear stopped her. Instead, she followed them to the market one afternoon, where she learned their names. Jefferson, the widowed mushroom seller and his little girl, Grace. When the day began to end, she made her way home, ready to tell her family about the trip, but what awaited her was something out of a horror story._

 _Stepping into the cave, she fought back the bile as her feet sloshed in something wet and slippery. When she eventually reached the bodies of the three bears who had so lovingly watched over and protected her all those years, she couldn't hold it back any longer. The contents of her stomach spilled out on the floor, her tears following. She ran out of the cave and through the forest, not realising she had strayed into the road until a grand carriage had to ground to a halt before it hit her. The horses startled and she bit back a scream. The door flung open and out stepped the most stunning woman she'd ever met. Everything about her screamed regal and she immediately straightened up._

" _My dear girl, are you hurt?" the woman asked, seeing the blood staining her clothes a deep ruby red._

 _She was wary, the sincerity of the words not reaching the woman's eyes. In fact, there was a cruelty there that had her backing away until a large man walked over, a bloody axe in hand._

" _The bears have been taken care of your majesty."_

 _A wave of anguish washed over her and with an enraged scream, she launched herself at the woman, her hand connecting with a smooth cheek, leaving a bloodied hand print behind. The guards reacted quickly and roughly grabbed her._

" _How dare you attack your queen!" one of them shouted._

 _Rage overwhelmed her, leaving her uncaring of the consequences as she spat out her words._

" _She is no queen of mine and my family is dead because of her!" she cried out._

 _The queen calmly moved towards her, her eyes blazing with rage._

" _What is your name, peasant?" she ground out._

 _She held her ground, holding her head high in a silent display of defiance._

" _You will be executed either way. Now talk! What. Is. Your. Name?"_

 _Her lip began trembling as fresh hot tears began to fall. Seeing the queen smirk made her jerk forward, a globule of spit landing in the face she wanted nothing more than to break._

" _My name, murderer, is Goldilocks."_

A sniffle broke Rose from her tale and she looked down to see Grace was silently crying against her, her shirt wet from the ten year-old's tears.

"Hey, hey, shush now. It's okay."

"I can't believe the queen did that to the bears when they were so loving!"

Touched by the compassion in her daughter's heart, Rose squeezed her tighter. The pain from her past was as bad as ever, but in some ways, she could cope now she had something so good to focus on. She knew that once Jefferson arrived he was likely to want Grace back, but Rose hoped she could persuade him to let her still be in Grace's life. If he said no, she didn't know what she would do.


	4. Reunion with Old Friends and Enemies

_Thank you to aandm20 and Yadira525 for your reviews! They mean the world to me!_

 _On with the show!_

 _..._

The next few days were a mixture of confusing and annoying, as loved ones tried to find each other and those like Rose who'd had a sad life back home tried to adapt to their memories and come to terms with the fact that the happiness they thought they had was a lie.

For Rose, it was especially hard knowing that the only thing that had ever brought her happiness wasn't even hers. The memory she had of giving birth, holding her baby and naming her were all just malicious memories planted in her head by a woman she'd had the misfortune to enrage. She wasn't stupid; she knew that Regina had deliberately given her Grace knowing that should the curse ever be broken, Rose would be devastated, but she didn't think Regina had banked on how sweet Grace truly was, the young girl even more adamant Rose was her mama after hearing the story if when she was Goldilocks.

"Mama, are you okay?"

Rose smiled down at Grace, who was looking at her with her big doe eyes full of concern. It seemed wrong, and Rose hated that she'd put the look on her daughter's face.

"I'm okay Grace, I'm just thinking about some things is all."

The first time she'd called her Grace had been a couple of nights earlier. It was hard for Rose to stop calling her Paige, but she had understood without being told that her daughter needed the comfort of hearing her own name. It stung, not calling her the name she believed she'd so lovingly picked out, but she did it for her daughter. She could see Grace didn't entirely believe her, so she crouched down with a warm smile on her face.

"I've had an idea to help you find your papa."

An hour later, Grace was sat at the table with her colouring pencils while Rose stood to answer the knock at her door, only relaxing when she saw it was Mary Margaret. She opened the door and stood aside to let the other woman in. She was immediately embraced and smiled as she hugged the shorter female back.

"I can't believe it's really you! I thought you were dead!" Mary Margaret exclaimed.

Rose smiled warmly at her old friend as they parted and indicated for her to follow her to the living room, pausing by the dining room so Mary Margaret could say hello to Grace. Once they were seated, Rose reached over to take her friend's hand.

"How are you, Snow?" she asked, seeing the unhidden worry in her dark orbs.

"I just can't believe this is real, that the curse actually happened."

Rose let out a breath of air, half in agreement and half in amusement.

"I know, but in a way I'm happy because if I was back in the Enchanted Forest, I would be dead, whereas here, I have a daughter that I love more than anything else."

Mary-Margaret's gaze turned to one of sympathy at the mention of Grace and Rose knew it was because like her, she was fully aware that Jefferson would come for his daughter sooner or later.

"It'll be okay" Mary-Margaret said, but Rose knew she was comforting herself as much as she was the blonde.

They fell into companionable silence until Grace came bounding into the room to show her masterpiece. Rose fondly kissed her daughter's head as her eyes skimmed over the words 'Have you seen my papa?', ignoring the stabbing pain in her chest. Grace settled on to the seat beside her and wrapped her arms round her mother, nuzzling into her side. Mary Margaret smiled at the sight, hoping and praying her friend would be able to keep the happiness she'd found in the young girl. She'd had such a terrible life and yet, when Snow had met her in the forest while on the run from the queen, she'd not once judged her and had provided her with a safe haven, showing a compassion lacking in those who hadn't been through even half the pain she had. If anyone deserved a happy ending, it was Goldilocks.

"I didn't ask, is everything okay? I assume this isn't just a catch up visit." Rose said after a few moments.

"Actually, it is. Ruby mentioned she'd scented you and I had to make sure you were really here as I was so sure Regina had killed you. I wasn't expecting you to have a daughter, but I'm so happy for you."

Rose looked down at Grace, her eyes filled with a warmth Mary Margaret had only seen in her own mother's eyes. She knew about the child Goldilocks had lost and also knew the other woman had wanted nothing more than to have a family someday. Seeing her now, Mary Margaret knew that she was every bit the devoted mother she knew she would be and it made her smile to see the glow motherhood gave her.

"Has anyone seen Jefferson around town?" Rose asked.

A shake of the brunette's head, sympathetic eyes falling on the child whose face had fallen at the news. Mary Margaret knew she should tell the pair about the time he'd captured her and Emma, but as he had vanished shortly after, she didn't want to risk disappointing the little girl who held so much hope.

"We haven't heard anything, but I promise we will all keep looking. A lot of people are lost right now; he probably just needs to find his way home."

Once their visitor had left, Rose and Grace made their way to the one place Rose wanted to avoid; the mayor's office, however, it was the only place she knew of where she could copy the poster her daughter made. As the mayor's PA, she had full access to the facilities, so she had to swallow her pride and get on with it. She breathed a sigh of relief to see the room was empty and walked in with Grace trailing behind her. It didn't take long to finish the posters and as they packed up to leave, Rose grabbed the staple gun from her desk to put up the posters. It was as they moved to leave that a cool voice spoke.

"Not even a hello for your boss, Miss Brown?"

Rose slowly turned to face the person she hated more than any other, her fists clenching.

"Grace, stand outside please." She said through gritted teeth, desperately trying to control the anger in her voice.

Grace didn't want to leave, but the tone of her mother's voice left no room for argument, so she left the room, stopping to pick up the bag they'd placed her precious posters in. The moment the door clicked shut, Rose glared at Regina.

"You really expect me to be civil towards you?" she spat.

A flicker of surprise in the other woman's face, quickly hidden by her usual superior sneer. She didn't even flinch when Rose moved closer to her.

"I suggest you refrain from doing anything to harm me, Goldilocks. You may find child services knocking on your door if you so much as touch me and I assure you, they will not hesitate to take your daughter, especially when they discover that biologically, she isn't even yours."

Rose stopped as if she'd been slapped in the face. She looked torn between enraged and heartbroken. After a moment, she finally responded, her voice strained.

"Fine."

She turned to follow Grace, pausing with her hand on the doorknob to look at Regina over her shoulder.

"Oh, and one more thing. I quit."

The door slammed behind her and Regina finally allowed herself to breathe. She honestly didn't enjoy threatening the blonde woman, not now she knew the fear of losing your child to their biological parent, but it had been the only thing stopping a punch to the face or worse.


End file.
